Belichick Says Patriots Were Wrong About New Rule in Jets Loss

Oct. 22 (Bloomberg) -- Coach Bill Belichick said he was
wrong in his interpretation of a new National Football League
rule that helped the New York Jets get a second chance at a
winning field goal against his New England Patriots in Week 7.

Nick Folk two days ago made a 42-yard field goal in
overtime that gave the host Jets a 30-27 victory against the
Patriots, a kick set up by a penalty that had never before been
called in an NFL game.

Four plays earlier, Patriots rookie Chris Jones was called
for a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for pushing a
teammate forward in an attempt to block the kick. Belichick
after the game questioned the application of the rule, which
nullified a missed 56-yard field goal by Folk.

“It’s our job to understand the rules,” Belichick told
reporters yesterday. “Whatever the bottom line is, we didn’t do
it properly.”

The NFL instituted the rule as a safety measure this
season, seeking to help offensive linemen blocking defenders on
field goals and extra points. Belichick said after the game that
he didn’t think Jones pushed “from the second level,” though
the NFL’s rulebook doesn’t make exceptions for where a player on
the non-kicking team is lined up if he pushes a teammate on the
line of scrimmage into the offensive formation.

Jones, a defensive tackle from Bowling Green State
University, said after the game that he took full responsibility
for the penalty. Belichick said yesterday the coaching staff was
to blame, not Jones.

“Chris is obviously trying to do the right thing by
stepping up and taking responsibility, but that’s not his
responsibility, it’s ours,” Belichick said. “We have to do a
better job of coaching that. It’s not his fault, that’s on me
and the coaching staff. We just have to do a better job.”